Nahla ElShall
Imagine enduring 90 days of unrelenting airstrikes in an area spanning 365 square kilometers, housing 2.3 million people. The eerie silence surrounding this crisis forces us to confront our common humanity and reassess our moral principles.
Imagine enduring 90 days of relentless airstrikes on an area of 365 square kilometers, home to 2.3 million people. The silence surrounding this crisis challenges us to face our shared humanity and question our moral compass. This is not just a regional issue; it’s a test of our global conscience.
The scale of the horrors witnessed in Gaza is unparalleled in modern times. Disturbingly, by January 4th 2024, according to the health ministry of Gaza, the casualty figures have reached an alarming 28,201 civilians killed with 12,040 children among the fallen; and over 100 journalists who paid the ultimate price in their pursuit of truth. The number of injured has reached 58,960 and the number of displaced people have reached 1,935,000. To put this into context, in 90 days, the numbers of civilian casualties in Gaza has reached three times the number of civilian casualties in almost two years of war in Ukraine.
Unlike in other conflicts, the 2.3 million people of Gaza are sieged with no possibility of seeking refuge anywhere. They are denied fundamental human rights such as clean water, electricity, and medical care. Even if miraculously allowed to escape, they face a future without the right to ever return to their home. This violation of basic human rights deserves our urgent attention.
History often repeats itself, yet we humans have a short memory. We ponder the atrocities of the world such as the Holocaust, the genocide in Rwanda, and the apartheid in South Africa, wondering how such events were allowed to happen. Now is the time to stand firm and act upon «Never again» that we once committed to. If we, as a global community, cannot unite to demand a ceasefire in the face of such atrocities, what hope is there for our collective progress? When and what other cause can possibly ever unite us? It is a call to action for everyone- politicians, activists, artists, public figures, educators, students. Our common goal should be to save humanity.
The war in Gaza will eventually end, but what then? How do we reconcile with the knowledge that we witnessed and allowed such atrocities? How do we recover from the fact that we watched innocent civilians lose their lives, families, home and dreams and we stayed silent? No amount of aid or support will erase the silence that echoes through history. We must confront the aftermath with a collective commitment to ensure justice, healing, and lasting change. That will only happen when we unite our voices today and call for a ceasefire and an end to the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.
According to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Gaza has become a graveyard for children, the most dangerous place on Earth to be a child. Shockingly, a child loses their life in Gaza every 15 minutes. A ceasefire initiated today can spare an average of 134 children from the tragic fate awaiting them tomorrow, and every day after. James Elder, UNICEF Spokesman, said he was furious at those with power shrugging as this humanitarian nightmare is unleashed on a million children. I echo Elder’s sentiments, directing my anger not only at those with visible influence but also at the silent individuals seemingly with less power. Throughout history, the people -the civilians – were the ones changing directions because they refused complicity in the face of injustice. They rejected a world they couldn’t bear to live in and spoke up. Today, I plead to the global conscience to rise, speak out, and demand an immediate ceasefire.
Now, more than ever, the efforts of the global community must converge in a call for a ceasefire in Gaza. It is not about where you come from, your beliefs, or the scale of your influence; it is about humanity. Your voice matters, your advocacy matters, your awareness matters, your boycotts matter. Silence is not an option. We must learn the history, the root causes, raise awareness, and speak up against oppression. A world where the killing of children is debatable, forcible displacement is necessary, and fetching families from under the rubble is acceptable, is not a safe world for anyone. We are not free until everyone is free, and we are not safe until everyone is safe. It is not “complicated”; it is a simple truth we cannot ignore.
